New Heights Communications

Freeda Womb is her name, and ensuring our right to reproductive freedom is the game.

Americans for Contraception’s IUD Express tour with “Freeda Womb” — a 20-foot, inflatable IUD — is in full swing and coming to a city near you! Between Philadelphia (seen below), Chicago and more, Freeda isn’t shy about inserting herself in conversations about the important need to protect the right to contraceptives amid escalating attacks across the country. Read more in Earl Hopkins’s piece from the Philadelphia Inquirer here: https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/contraception-iud-womens-rights-advocacy-20240719.html

New Heights was honored to partner on this event. Next stops on the tour today and tomorrow: Freeda will be chillin’ in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines!

We’re excited to welcome our new director, Taj Magruder, and senior associate, Hana Hancock, as featured in POLITICO Playbook. Welcome, Taj and Hana!

TRANSITIONS — … Taj Magruder and Hana Hancock are joining New Heights Communications. Magruder will be a director and is a Pennsylvania Department of Education and Philadelphia Department of Commerce alum. Hancock will be a senior associate and previously was comms manager for The Trust for the National Mall.

Debunked! 👏 In The Trace's analysis, Guns Down America Executive Director Hudson Munoz rectifies the misconception that "firearm merchant category codes" (which can detect fraud and suspicious activity related to fi****ms and ammunition) breach privacy:
“The codes are not even the most granular information that the credit card companies have about merchants” - “but they help create efficiency in the system when trying to identify abrupt changes in broader purchasing patterns.”

👏 hold 👏 the gun industry 👏 accountable 👏

GOP Lawmakers Say They’re Banning Credit Cards From Tracking Gun Purchases. Is It All a Show? On July 1, new laws will take effect in Tennessee and Georgia that Republican legislators say will prevent banks and credit card companies  from tracking firearm purchases.  At least 15 states — all but one of them Republican-led — have passed similar laws in the past two years, barring financ...

New Heights has some new faces!

🌟 Morgan Snyder, our new Communications Manager, brings experience from federal and state government, high-stakes political campaigns, and the private sector. She most recently served as Deputy Upstate Press Secretary for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

🌟 Anna Connelly, our newest Senior Associate, has spent her career in the worlds of strategic communications and public relations. Most recently, she was a Corporate Reputation Consultant at FTI Consulting where she helped global retail and consumer products companies navigate "special situations" like enterprise-wide cyberattacks and IPO listings on the NYSE.

Welcome to the team, Morgan and Anna! ✨

Elon Musk and RFK Jr. are back at it again, now sounding the alarm on supposed voting machine irregularities in Puerto Rico. But fear not, they've come up with the groundbreaking solution of... paper ballot backups!

Who knew?! Oh wait, Verified Voting has been advocating for paper backups and post-election audits for the last 20 years. Guess Elon and RFK missed that memo while they were busy reinventing the wheel.

New Heights jumped on this story faster than Musk on a Twitter controversy and placed Pam Smith, Verified Voting's president and CEO, front and center in the media and on podcasts, reminding us all that our elections are run securely and the tried-and-true method of, you know, post-election audits.

We are ecstatic to announce the well-deserved promotions of three outstanding team members:
🌟 Erika Gulija has been promoted from Director to Vice President.
🌟 Nicole Watkins has advanced from Associate to Senior Associate.
🌟 Promise Pitman has moved from Intern to Associate.

Congratulations, Erika, Nicole, and Promise, on your achievements! 🎉

Over the weekend, New Heights President Christy Setzerspoke to The Hill and the Financial Times providing key insight and analysis about the impact Donald Trump’s 34-count felony conviction could have on the 2024 presidential election.

Setzer presented a clear and bold frame for Democrats to use by asking voters a simple and important question when speaking with The Hill: “Do you want to vote for the first-ever felon for president?”

“There’s a tremendous opportunity to reshape the contours of the campaign [and] to be on the offensive,” Setzer continued. “But only if we go hard and vocal.”

When speaking to the Financial Times, Setzer added:

“Sometimes Democrats get so precious, so afraid to get their hands dirty or afraid to anger Trump’s supporters . . . our party misses the opportunity. Let’s not do that here, on a story that has the power to fundamentally change the trajectory of the race, and history.”

“We need a phalanx of campaign surrogates out in force, comparing Trump, America’s first felon on a major party ticket, to Biden.”

Links to both stories 👇 👇
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4697364-democrats-push-back-at-argument-guilty-verdict-strengthens-trump/

https://www.ft.com/content/38a0bf6a-e2a7-4471-9608-2a4293891950

Conviction politics: Joe Biden sees opportunity in Trump’s guilty verdict Democrats think the president can win by emphasising his Republican rival’s status as a felon

Sr. Vice President Aurora Matthews presented on a Verified Voting-sponsored webinar to the public about messaging research we conducted with Lake Research Partners. This messaging research on post-election audits is the first of its kind and will help us — and hopefully help election officials — communicate important information on risk-limiting audits and other election processes to voters this November.

Meet our newest directors, Natalia Latif and Joel Mendelson 🎉

🌟 Natalia has nearly a decade of experience in legislative and political communications. She was most recently the Communications Director for the Uncommitted National Movement and a Senior Associate at Fireside Campaigns.

🌟 Joel brings over 15 years of experience in campaign and strategic communications, having led efforts for nonprofits and political campaigns. He was previously the Director of Communications at Grounded Solutions Network and Jobs With Justice.

Welcome to New Heights Communications, Natalia and Joel! ✨

One of the many reasons we’re excited about Natalia Latif joining our team as a Director is thought-provoking pieces like these. Check out her new article, "The Myth of Bodily Autonomy," where she delves into the complexities of reproductive justice within the Muslim community. This piece is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the intersection of faith, bodily autonomy, and reproductive rights.

Read the full article here:

The Myth of Bodily Autonomy By Natalia Latif — Acacia Magazine Natalia reports on the impact of Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Muslims seeking reproductive care and the range of responses from Muslim organizers and scholars.

Our partners at Ballot Initiative Strategy Center hosted one of the largest convenings of progressives this election cycle, bringing together campaign leaders and frontline organizers defending direct democracy nationwide. Check out the recap video to learn more about the ballot measure landscape ⬇️

Road Ahead '24 Highlight Reel!

We're so thrilled to be working with Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom to enshrine reproductive access in Colorado's constitution - 225,000 signatures to protect healthcare access? Yes please.

Colorado group says it has enough signatures for abortion rights ballot measure this fall A Colorado abortion rights group is trying to amend the state constitution to include the right to an abortion.

The (March) Madness is over, and we want to celebrate Aurora Matthews for SLAM DUNKING on her NHC bracket.

How did your bracket(s) turn out?

From information to inspiration, this World Health Day we’re proud to be partnering with clients that are working to create a more inclusive and equitable healthcare landscape - like United States of Care.

It’s and if you know us, you know we LOVE our newspeople. And at a time when the sizes of newsrooms are declining, and in a landscape that make it harder to hold electeds accountable, we’re all the more grateful for the tireless work from reporters. A hug from us to you, as well as solidarity in your important work. :fist:

We are so thrilled to welcome Brittany King, our new Senior Associate, to New Heights. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, AdWeek, and Ebony magazine. Brittany is also quickly becoming our go-to for processing each and every reality TV episode as it drops.

As of today, April 1st, 2024, we want to provide a True and Real Update that is completely apropos of our Digital Director's most earnest adoration of a certain superpop star's (Taylor Swift's) connection to the podcast, here at New Heights Communications we've joined forced with New Heights (podcast) - we'll be making a 180° pivot to becoming a family-forward, all-sports, all-the-time (with lighthearted appearances from adorable kiddos!) podcasting - this may come as a surprise to some of you, but remain assured that we are still committed to creating a more just world - we'll just be doing it in conjunction with some football players!

This transition will be official-official as of April 31st, 2024.

Ellen Eardley, Managing Partner at Mehri Skalet Pllc and co-chair of the firm's civil rights practice, demonstrates an unwavering commitment to advancing equity and inclusion. She represents individuals facing gender and race discrimination, securing millions of dollars and driving tangible change across industries. Dedicated to making change within her community, Ellen serves on the board of Urban Harvest STL, a non-profit promoting inclusive local food systems. During her tenure as the University of Missouri’s Assistant Vice Chancellor for civil rights and Title IX, Ellen established the first institutional equity office, implemented inclusive policies, and championed awareness of race, s*x, religious, disability, and LGBTQ discrimination. Ellen's endeavors are a testament to her steadfast dedication to fostering equality and diversity in every facet of society, leaving an indelible mark on both the legal landscape and the communities she serves.

As New Heights’ President, Christy Setzer said, “Republicans own abortion bans. They also own bans for [in vitro fertilization] and even birth control, all issues that hugely galvanize Democrats, Independents, and some Republicans in opposition.” — who’s ready to vote for safe, legal abortion access?? https://au.news.yahoo.com/trump-tests-waters-15-week-100000562.html

Dr. Haynes is a social and behavioral scientist with over 15 years of public health experience. She serves as the Senior Director of Research and Community Engagement at States of Care where she spearheads the organization’s listening and research work to understand and demonstrate the change people want and need from the health care system. Her team’s new research explores innovative ways to ensure every Black woman and birthing person can experience their ideal journey of joy, support, and safety in their maternal experience.

Quote in full: “We’re in the midst of a crisis of Black women not being valued by the health care system and not being taken care of throughout their pregnancies. We know, not just because of the statistics, but because of the stories of Black women’s journeys to motherhood. At United States of Care, we are guided by our deep listening work and committed to translating these real needs into meaningful policy action that moves the needle on women's health. Through our team’s recent research, we found there are ‘bright spots’ to look forward to—ways that communities are leading the charge to improve maternal health experiences for mom and baby alike—that offer national models for culturally-responsive care."

Chris has boldly led the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) as Executive Director since June 2018, bringing nearly two decades of experience in advocacy, creating collaborative spaces, and movement building. As a q***r woman of color who came to the United States at an early age with her working-class parents, she leads from her lived experience and desire to build an equitable and just world. She first joined BISC after witnessing the power of ballot measures to create radical transformational change and the ways ballots shift the narrative on major issues like protecting LGBTQ rights, implementing living wages, expanding voting accessibility and enshrining reproductive freedoms. Read on:

“Ballot measures encompass a wide range of issues and express positions across the political spectrum — everything from Medicaid expansion to ma*****na legalization, public education funding, property tax adjustments, wage increases, abortion protections, bail reform, early voting and same-day registration and waste reduction, you name it. Yet despite the partisan neutrality of ballot initiatives, some politicians have taken aim at this process simply because they don’t like the decisions made by a majority of the voters…Our will, our power and our freedom are at stake; with restrictions on voting rights also on the rise, it is more important than ever to protect our freedom to shape the laws that govern us, especially through ballot initiatives. Once this freedom is lost, there’s no going back. The time to act is now, before the opportunity is lost forever.”

Team New Heights is participating in , bien sur. And we’ve got some surefire, can’t miss, Very Solid and Serious advice for your brackets, too. Read on (if you wanna win!):

1️⃣If it says “St." in the name of a team, it stands for “Street.” Some universities are named after famous (and often unrelated) streets and avenues.

2️⃣The absolute strongest way to enter this is to pick based on ✨vibes✨, specifically: “Does this school name sound/feel magical?” If you could see it popping up as a name in She Who Must Not Be Named’s work — that team is gonna win.

3️⃣If you’re in a certain state you are legally bound to vote (vote?) for that state as the winner in your bracket, but only for their first match. In So Doing, you’re in turn legally bound to vote. It’s like voter registration, but more voter RSVPs-like.

Let us know who you’re voting for as the Madness approaches…

Pamela Smith, President & CEO of Verified Voting, is a trailblazing woman leader shaping the future of elections. With nearly two decades of experience at Verified Voting, she champions secure and fair voting processes, uniting advocates, officials, and stakeholders nationwide. Since 2004, Smith has been a driving force in election security and administration, guiding strategic priorities and advising leaders. Her passion for resilient voting systems and post-election audits ensures secure elections, empowering voters every step of the way. As a key member of the National Task Force on Election Crises, Pam spearheads cross-partisan efforts for vital reforms, preventing and mitigating election crises. She fearlessly advocates for secure practices at both federal and state levels, amplifying her impact through media outlets like The Washington Post and NPR. Pam's dedication to election security shines through her engaging writings, speeches, and discussions on disinformation and voting technology, solidifying her position as a pioneering woman leader in her field.

Meet our new Directors as seen in POLITICO Playbook!

Erin Moriarty-Siler brings a versatile skill set in strategic communications, a proven track record across several industries, and unparalleled creativity to our team. Fun fact: Behind her strategic genius, Erin is a die-hard fan of all things Halloween-y, making her our resident Spooky Strategist. Join us in welcoming Erin!

Beck Havens is a paid media and digital guru, they’ve turned online likes into real-world action for their clients, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Teamsters, SEIU, and Power the Polls. Beck brings a fierce passion for climate change, gun safety, Worker rights, and LGBTQIA protection to their work.

TRANSITIONS — …Erin Moriarty-Siler and Beck Havens are joining New Heights Communications. Moriarty-Siler will be director of media relations and previously was an election comms strategist for Common Cause. Havens will be director of digital and has previously done work with The Teamsters, SEIU and Power the Polls.